Jet Lag Isn’t Fun

11 February 2006

I’ve been home from Tokyo for almost a week now and still I’m finding myself falling asleep or resisting falling around 8pm and then unable to stay asleep beyond 4 or 5am.

I’ve never had bad jet lag before and I have to say that I don’t like it. I didn’t suffer from jet lag at all when I used to go to California and I only had mild jet lag for the first few days when I flew to India. Although that was exaggerated by malaria tablets and whiskey… don’t do it kids.

Last night I stayed awake until almost midnight hoping to get back to normal rhythm but again I awoke at 4.30am… I’m now surfing the web for cures and advice for jet lag. I have a trip to Phoenix at the end of the month and I really do not want jet lag again.

From what I have read so far it would seem that you are looking at a days jet lag for each hour of time difference – NASA says so I think I’ll believe that. Japan is 9 hours ahead so I guess I should relax and accept that jet lag is here until some time next week.

It would seem that jet lag is unavoidable there are some suggestions to help deal with it and some to help reduce it’s severity – mostly around when to seek light to keep your rhythms intact. I’ve read in a few places that not being rested before you travel will make jet lag worse; I guess having a four month old son and the broken sleep that goes along with that may explain why it is so bad.

I hadn’t realised just how bad alcohol was when flying apparently it’s effects are 2-3 times greater which would explain the effect of a couple of drinks on my way to Tokyo. I didn’t realise that jet lag itself causes dehydration; which has been a problem since my return home.

It’s been interesting reading all the information but it looks as if jet lag is a fact of international travel.